Response from a reader about management and the emotional bond.
Posted by Bill Liao on Friday, January 8, 2010
Hi Bill,
As a manager in previous companies I was always able to get my team to work really well together even under intense pressure in start up companies with limited resources and deadlines we could not miss.
After reading Chapter 2 I realise that it was my ability to build up a 1 to 1 personal connection with each person in the team and I did this everywhere I went. It didn’t matter what type of personality each person had in the group I was still able to build up that connection.
One time in a previous company my manager was a problem generator and managed by fear couldn’t get any of his development team to work late to deliver a project. He threatened them not to leave until work was done and every person left at 5 o’clock, he offered to pay them extra money for staying late and still they went home. He wondered how I used to get them to stay late so I told him my secret – I ask them!
I meet with the team and let them know the importance of achieving the deadline and they put in the hours necessary to achieve the deadline. There is no argument, there is no aggression. When we deliver the project we all go out and celebrate.
I now also realise you were building an emotional connection with our new developer at our meeting. I also realise that in my management role I really recognised the importance of an emotional connection but I have not translated that to my sales role. I am thinking of the sale process before making that connection. That is a change I will implement immediately.
Let me know if I’m off track on my interpretation of parts of chapter 2 above.
I’m looking forward to chapter 3.
Jeff
You are perfectly on track!
- Bill
As a manager in previous companies I was always able to get my team to work really well together even under intense pressure in start up companies with limited resources and deadlines we could not miss.
After reading Chapter 2 I realise that it was my ability to build up a 1 to 1 personal connection with each person in the team and I did this everywhere I went. It didn’t matter what type of personality each person had in the group I was still able to build up that connection.
One time in a previous company my manager was a problem generator and managed by fear couldn’t get any of his development team to work late to deliver a project. He threatened them not to leave until work was done and every person left at 5 o’clock, he offered to pay them extra money for staying late and still they went home. He wondered how I used to get them to stay late so I told him my secret – I ask them!
I meet with the team and let them know the importance of achieving the deadline and they put in the hours necessary to achieve the deadline. There is no argument, there is no aggression. When we deliver the project we all go out and celebrate.
I now also realise you were building an emotional connection with our new developer at our meeting. I also realise that in my management role I really recognised the importance of an emotional connection but I have not translated that to my sales role. I am thinking of the sale process before making that connection. That is a change I will implement immediately.
Let me know if I’m off track on my interpretation of parts of chapter 2 above.
I’m looking forward to chapter 3.
Jeff
You are perfectly on track!
- Bill
